Dual action bottle brush

ABSTRACT

A brush assembly for use in cleaning baby bottles and component parts associated therewith including a handle and top brush portion, the top brush portion having a plurality of cleaning elements and a recessed cavity, the handle being releasably attachable to the top brush portion and including a nipple brush, the nipple brush being receivable within the recessed cavity when the top brush portion is releasably attached to the handle. The handle further includes an ergonomic outer grip surface allowing for secure, comfortable gripping when the brush assembly is in use. When the top brush portion is removed from the handle, the nipple brush is exposed and available for use. The cleaning elements may include at least one scrubbing element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a brush assembly, and, more particularly, to a brush assembly including both a bottle brush and a nipple brush designed for convenient, ergonomic cleaning and scrubbing of baby bottles and other component parts associated with baby bottles such as baby bottle nipples, collars and caps.

When handling and cleaning infant feeding equipment, the hygienic cleansing of baby bottles, baby bottle nipples and other component parts is of critical importance. Ideally, between each use, bottles and nipples should be thoroughly scrubbed and then sterilized for use. Proper cleaning and scrubbing after use is particularly important so as to get rid of and clear any remaining food or liquid particles such as fatty liquids, or liquids having suspended solids therein such as formula, cereal, or other infant feeding products. It is important to remove all such remaining food or liquid particles because these types of remaining particles and/or residue may serve as a breeding ground for bacteria, potentially causing illness or infection.

Brushes designed specifically for scrubbing bottles are often found in households having young children as well as in a variety of caregiving facilities such as daycares and nurseries. Oftentimes, such brushes are one of many objects purchased to assist in maintaining a clean eating environment for babies. Because these brushes serve to cleanse containers/bottles which hold sustenance for infants, it is particularly important that such brushes be stored in a way that minimizes their contact with potentially unsanitary surfaces. Furthermore, the areas where bottles are prepared are frequently cluttered with a multitude of items including, but not limited to, bottle brushes, nipple brushes, collars, caps, bibs, towels, drying racks, formula containers, sterilizing equipment, pacifiers and other similar items. Consequently, there is a need for an improved baby bottle brush that is compact, easy to use, ergonomic and which provides for an improved clean-up action. There is also a need to maintain clean, convenient storage spaces for items that come into direct contact with an infant's mouth so as to provide a clean sanitary environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a brush assembly which provides an improved configuration that is compact, convenient, and ergonomic and is constructed to provide for the improved scrubbing and cleaning of baby bottles and other component parts of baby bottles such as baby bottle nipples, collars, caps and the like. The present brush assembly includes a top brush portion and a handle. The top brush portion may include a plurality of petal shaped elements attached to the outer surface of the top brush portion in a radial configuration, these petal shaped elements forming the scrubbing or cleaning portion of the brush. Each of the petal shaped elements may be fixedly or removably attached to the outer surface of the top brush portion. In one embodiment, an edge portion of each petal shaped element engages a respective channel and the petal shaped elements are retained within the respective channels by a cap. In one embodiment, the petal shaped elements may be substantially hourglass shaped and preferably sized and shaped to facilitate cleaning of baby bottles and their component parts.

In an alternative embodiment, the top brush portion may further include a scrubbing element attached to the outer surface of the top brush portion, the scrubbing element being positioned within the radial configuration of the petal shaped elements. In one embodiment, the scrubbing element may be substantially wedge shaped and preferably sized to facilitate scrubbing of baby bottles and their component parts. The scrubbing element may be fixedly or removably attached to the outer surface of the top brush portion, similar to the petal shaped elements, by positioning one edge portion of the scrubbing element into a respective channel wherein it is secured therewithin by a cap. In another embodiment, the cap may be removably secured to the top of the top brush portion to provide access to the respective channels to facilitate the removal and replacement of the petal shaped elements and the scrubbing element.

The top brush portion may further include a recessed cavity located below the respective channels for retaining a nipple brush therewithin. The cavity forms a hygienic storage enclosure within the top brush portion for receiving a nipple brush associated with the top portion of the handle.

The handle may further include an ergonomic outer grip surface allowing for secure, comfortable gripping when the brush assembly is in use. When the top brush portion is removed from the handle, the nipple brush is exposed and available for use. Because the nipple brush is mounted to the top portion of the handle, the ergonomic outer grip surface of the handle allows for secure, comfortable gripping when the nipple brush is in use. The handle may further include a base portion having a substantially flat bottom surface which provides for upright storage of the brush assembly when not in use. This enables the top brush portion to remain erect and dry and this prevents the top brush portion from contacting germ-laden surfaces.

Specific advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description of several illustrative embodiments of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a brush assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the brush assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the brush assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the brush assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the brush assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of a brush assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the brush assembly of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the brush assembly of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the brush assembly of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the brush assembly of FIG. 6.

It should be understood that the present drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments disclosed herein are sometimes illustrated by fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should also be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. Like numbers utilized throughout the various figures designate like or similar parts or structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers, FIGS. 1-5 illustrate one embodiment of the brush assembly 10 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The present brush assembly 10 is configured for cleaning and scrubbing the component parts of bottles including, but not limited to, baby bottles, baby bottle nipples, collars, caps, and other components. The brush assembly 10 may include a top brush portion 12 and a handle 14. The top brush portion 12 may include a plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements 16 attached to the outer surface 18 of the top brush portion 12 in a radial configuration. Each of the petal shaped elements 16 may be fixedly attached to the outer surface 18 of top brush portion 12 by any suitable means including engaging an edge portion of each petal shaped element 16 with a corresponding channel 20 (FIG. 5). In one embodiment, the cleaning elements 16 form the cleaning/scrubbing portion of the brush assembly 10 and can be secured within the channels 20 by any suitable means such as by adhesives. In another embodiment, an edge portion of each petal shaped element 16 is slidably engaged with a corresponding channel 20 and held in position on the top brush portion 12 by the cap 22. The cap 22 may be secured to the top face of the outer surface 18 of the top brush portion 12 by sonic welding or by any other process of permanent attachment.

In alternative embodiments, the petal shaped elements 16 each include an edge portion 17 which is slidably inserted into a corresponding channel 20 and the cap 22 may be removably secured to the top brush portion 12 by any suitable means such that when the cap 22 is removed, any one of the cleaning elements 16 may be removed and replaced when worn. This allows a user the opportunity to remove and replace the elements 16 if necessary. The removal of cap 22 facilitates the removal and replacement of the petal shaped elements 16.

It is recognized and anticipated that at least one of the plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements may be removably attachable to the top brush portion 12 whereas other petal shaped cleaning elements may be permanently affixed thereto. Any combination of removably attached cleaning elements 16 and permanently attached cleaning elements 16 can be configured in any particular embodiment.

The petal shaped elements 16 may be fashioned from any suitable non-scratch cleaning material including, but not limited to, natural sponge, synthetic sponge, cellulose, foamed plastic polymers, low-density polyether, PVA, polyester, soft fabric, cleaning mesh and the like. In one embodiment, the petal shaped elements 16 may be substantially hourglass shaped and preferably sized to facilitate cleaning of baby bottles and their component parts. In this regard, each petal shaped element 16 may include tips 19 specially shaped to reach inside hard to reach corners of the bottle. The specific shape of each petal element 16 as well as the radial configuration of the top brush portion 12 further facilitates and maximizes the points of contact of the cleaning elements 16 with a particular baby bottle. It is also understood that the petal shaped cleaning elements 16 may be fashioned into other shapes, as desired, to accommodate various alternative designs of the brush assembly 10 without departing from the teachings and practice of the present invention.

The top brush portion 12 may further include a recessed cavity 24 located below the channels 20 for holding and retaining a nipple brush 26 therewithin as will hereinafter further explained. The cavity 24 foams a hygienic storage enclosure within the top brush portion 12 of the brush assembly 10 for receiving the nipple brush 26. The storage enclosure or cavity 24 is specifically sized and shaped to conform to the size and shape of by the nipple brush 26 so as to be completely received and contained therewithin. Any suitable retention mechanism can be used to retain the nipple brush 26 within cavity 24. In one embodiment, the nipple brush 26 is retained within the top brush portion 12 by a snap-on assembly where a groove or projection (not shown) located in the inner wall of the recessed cavity 24 cooperates with a corresponding groove or projection associated with shoulder portion 28 of the handle 14 to hold the nipple brush 26 within cavity 24 until needed for use. For the purposes of this disclosure “snap-on” is defined as attaching or fitting into place by employing a pressing motion. It is understood that the nipple brush 26 may be removably secured within the recessed cavity 24 using any number of suitable securing mechanisms such as a threaded assembly, a friction fit assembly, or a variety of other securing mechanisms without departing from the teachings and practice of the present invention.

The handle 14 may further include an ergonomic outer grip surface 30 formed from a substantially resilient material such as, but not limited to, organic polymers, elastomeric material, thermoplastic, thermosetting polymer, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, silicone, polytetrafluoroethylene and the like. The ergonomic outer grip surface 30 allows for secure, comfortable gripping by a user when the brush assembly 10 is in use.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the nipple brush 26 may be fixedly secured to the top portion 29 of the handle 14 by any suitable means such as by sonic welding so that it may be easily stored within the recessed cavity 24 of the top brush portion 12 thereby insulating the nipple brush 26 from contact with germ-laden surfaces when the top brush portion 12 is in use or when the entire brush assembly 10 is not in use. When the top brush portion 12 is removed from the handle 14, the nipple brush 26 is exposed and available for use. Because the nipple brush 26 is mounted to the top portion 29 of the handle 14, the entire ergonomic outer grip surface 30 of handle 14 can be used to manipulate the nipple brush 26 during use thereby allowing for secure, comfortable gripping when the nipple brush 26 is in use. The handle 14 may further include a base portion 32 having a substantially flat bottom face or surface 34 which provides for upright storage when the brush assembly 10 is not in use thereby allowing the top brush portion 12 to stay dry and protecting the top brush portion 12 from contacting germ-laden surfaces.

FIGS. 6-10 illustrate still another alternative embodiment 36 of the present brush assembly wherein the top brush portion 12 may further include a scrubbing element 38 attached to the outer surface 18 of the top brush portion 12 within the radial configuration of the petal shaped cleaning elements 16 for cleaning caked on food products or residue, or other more difficult areas of the bottle. The scrubbing element 38 may be fashioned from any suitable scrubbing material including, but not limited to, natural sponge, synthetic sponge, cellulose, foamed plastic polymers, low-density polyether, PVA, polyester, non-scratch scouring material, scrubbing mesh and the like. In one embodiment, the scrubbing surface 38 may be substantially wedge shaped as illustrated and preferably sized to facilitate scrubbing the inside of baby bottles and their component parts. Like the petal shaped cleaning elements 16, the scrubbing element 38 may be fixedly attached to the outer surface 18 of the top brush portion 12 using any suitable means such as by using an adhesive, or by positioning an edge associated with the inner face 40 of the scrubbing element 38 within a respective channel 20 as best illustrated in FIG. 10 and thereafter securing the scrubbing element 38 as well as elements 16 within the channels 20 by fixedly securing the cap 22 to the top of top brush portion 12 as previously explained. The cap 22 may be secured to the top face of the outer surface 18 by sonic welding or by any other suitable process of permanent attachment. In alternative embodiments, an edge associated with inner face 40 scrubbing element 38 may be slidably removably positionable within a respective channel 20 as previously explained with respect to cleaning element 16 and the cap 22 may likewise be removably secured to the top brush portion 12 to facilitate the removal and replacement of the scrubbing element 38. Like cleaning elements 16, the scrubbing element 38 can be easily removed and replaced when worn, or it can be replaced with another cleaning element 16. In one embodiment, the outer face 42 of the scrubbing element 38 is wider that the inner face 40 to provide a substantial surface area for scrubbing the inner surfaces of a baby bottle. It is also understood that the scrubbing element 38 may be fashioned into other shapes, as desired to accommodate various alternative designs of the brush assembly 36 without departing from the teachings and practice of the present invention.

It is also recognized and anticipated that any number of scrubbing elements 38 may be utilized in association with top brush portion 12 and that the cleaning elements 16 and scrubbing elements 38 are interchangeable and can be permanently affixed or removably attached to the outer surface 18 of the top brush portion 12 in any configuration. It is also recognized and anticipated that some of the cleaning elements 16 may be permanently attached to the top brush portion 12 whereas some of the cleaning elements 16 may be removably attached thereto, and that some of the scrubbing elements 38 can be removably attached or permanently affixed to the top brush portion 12. Any combination of cleaning elements 16 and scrubbing elements 38 can be configured to accommodate any particular application. All or any combination of the interchangeable cleaning elements 16 and scrubbing elements 38 can be permanently attached and/or removably attached to the top brush portion 12. Other configurations are likewise envisioned and anticipated.

Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novel brush assembly. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A brush assembly for use in cleaning baby bottles and parts thereof, comprising: a handle; a top brush portion having at least one cleaning element associated with one end portion thereof and having a recessed cavity associated with the opposite end portion thereof, said top brush portion being releasably attachable to said handle; and a nipple brush fixedly secured to said handle, said nipple brush being received within said recessed cavity when said top brush portion is releasably attached to said handle.
 2. The brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein said top brush portion includes a plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements attached to the outer surface of the top brush portion in a radial configuration.
 3. The brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements are formed from a non-scratch material.
 4. The brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements are foamed from a synthetic sponge-like material.
 5. The brush assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements are substantially hourglass shaped.
 6. The brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein said top brush portion further includes at least one scrubbing element.
 7. The brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein said at least one scrubbing element is formed from a non-scratch scouring material.
 8. The brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein said handle includes a resilient ergonomic surface.
 9. The brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein said handle includes a base portion for positioning the brush assembly upright on a substantially flat surface.
 10. The brush assembly according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements are removably attachable to said top brush portion.
 11. The brush assembly according to claim 6 wherein said at least one scrubbing element is removably attached to said top brush portion.
 12. A brush assembly comprising: a handle; a top brush portion having a recessed cavity associated therewith, said top brush position being removably attachable to said handle; a plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements attached to said top brush portion in a radial configuration; and a nipple brush fixedly secured to said handle, said nipple brush being receivable within said cavity when said top brush portion is releasably attached to said handle.
 13. The brush assembly according to claim 12 wherein said plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements are formed from a non-scratch material.
 14. The brush assembly according to claim 12 wherein said plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements are formed from a synthetic sponge-like material.
 15. The brush assembly of claim 12 wherein said plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements are substantially hourglass shaped.
 16. The brush assembly according to claim 12 wherein said top brush portion further includes at least one scrubbing element.
 17. The brush assembly according to claim 12 wherein said at least one scrubbing element is formed from a non-scratch scouring material.
 18. The brush assembly according to claim 12 wherein said handle includes a resilient ergonomic surface.
 19. The brush assembly according to claim 12 wherein said handle includes a base portion for positioning the brush assembly upright on a substantially flat surface.
 20. The brush assembly according to claim 12 wherein at least one of said plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements is removably attachable to said top brush portion.
 21. The brush assembly according to claim 16 wherein said at least one scrubbing element is removably attachable to said top brush portion.
 22. A brush assembly for use in cleaning baby bottles comprising: a handle; a top brush portion removably attached to said handle, said top brush portion having a recessed cavity; a plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements attached to said top brush portion in a radial configuration. at least one scrubbing element attached to said top brush portion; and a nipple brush fixedly secured to said handle, said nipple brush being receivable within said cavity when said top brush portion is releasably attached to said handle.
 23. The brush assembly according to claim 22 wherein at least some of said plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements are formed from a non-scratch material.
 24. The brush assembly according to claim 22 wherein at least some of said plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements are formed from a synthetic sponge-like material.
 25. The brush assembly according to claim 22 wherein at least some of said plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements are substantially hourglass shaped.
 26. The brush assembly according to claim 22 wherein said at least one scrubbing element is formed from a non-scratch scouring material.
 27. The brush assembly according to claim 22 wherein said handle includes a resilient ergonomic surface.
 28. The brush assembly according to claim 22 wherein said handle includes a base portion for positioning the brush assembly upright on a substantially flat surface.
 29. The brush assembly according to claim 22 wherein at least one of said plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements is removably attached to said top brush portion.
 30. The brush assembly according to claim 22 wherein said at least one scrubbing element is removably attachable to said top brush portion.
 31. The brush assembly according to claim 29 wherein said top brush portion includes at least one channel, and wherein said at least one removably attachable petal shaped cleaning element includes an edge portion engageable with said at least one channel.
 32. The brush assembly according to claim 30 wherein said top brush portion includes at least one channel, and wherein said at least one removably attachable scrubbing element includes an edge portion engageable with said at least one channel.
 33. The brush assembly according to claim 22 wherein at least one of said plurality of petal shaped cleaning elements includes at least one tip portion specially shaped to reach inside hard to reach corners of a bottle to be cleaned. 